Region
Wales: local authorities in numbers
Wales has 22 local authorities and 3,175,181 residents across 20,783 km², or 153 people per km². Population: +3.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,175,181 residents
- 22 local authorities
- 20,783 km²
- 153 people/km²
Map and records: Wales
Population
Population change over 10 years
All local authorities in Wales
Click a column heading to sort the table.
| Local authority | Population | Population change over 10 years | Population density | Area | Share of residents aged 65 and over | Share of residents aged under 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 381,516 | +8.5% | 2,681 people/km² | 142.3 | 15.0% | 17.0% |
| Swansea | 249,429 | +4.2% | 660.5 people/km² | 377.6 | 20.7% | 16.3% |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | 241,015 | +2.5% | 568.2 people/km² | 424.1 | 20.3% | 17.3% |
| Carmarthenshire | 190,037 | +3.1% | 80.1 people/km² | 2,371 | 25.6% | 16.4% |
| Caerphilly | 176,078 | −1.2% | 634.8 people/km² | 277.4 | 21.1% | 17.5% |
| Newport | 168,584 | +13.2% | 885.2 people/km² | 190.4 | 17.0% | 19.8% |
| Flintshire | 155,954 | +1.5% | 354.6 people/km² | 439.8 | 22.5% | 16.9% |
| Bridgend | 146,986 | +3.4% | 586.1 people/km² | 250.8 | 22.0% | 16.9% |
| Neath Port Talbot | 142,028 | +1.7% | 321.1 people/km² | 442.3 | 22.4% | 16.9% |
| Wrexham | 137,977 | +1.8% | 273.9 people/km² | 503.8 | 21.1% | 17.4% |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 135,362 | +7.2% | 408.6 people/km² | 331.3 | 23.2% | 17.7% |
| Powys | 134,843 | +1.4% | 26.0 people/km² | 5,195 | 29.6% | 14.9% |
| Pembrokeshire | 125,849 | +3.4% | 77.8 people/km² | 1,618 | 27.7% | 16.0% |
| Gwynedd | 120,295 | +0.6% | 47.2 people/km² | 2,549 | 23.9% | 15.3% |
| Conwy | 114,421 | −0.8% | 101.2 people/km² | 1,130 | 29.0% | 15.3% |
| Denbighshire | 98,247 | +3.8% | 117.1 people/km² | 838.7 | 25.6% | 17.1% |
| Monmouthshire | 95,329 | +3.8% | 112.1 people/km² | 850.3 | 27.0% | 15.4% |
| Torfaen | 93,973 | +3.4% | 744.4 people/km² | 126.2 | 21.5% | 18.0% |
| Ceredigion | 72,696 | −1.4% | 40.6 people/km² | 1,788 | 27.0% | 13.5% |
| Isle of Anglesey | 68,607 | −1.2% | 95.9 people/km² | 715.2 | 28.2% | 16.1% |
| Blaenau Gwent | 67,593 | −1.2% | 621.7 people/km² | 108.7 | 21.1% | 17.4% |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 58,362 | −1.0% | 521.3 people/km² | 112.0 | 20.1% | 18.5% |
Wales compared with the UK
Population-weighted averages for rates; totals for counts.
| Indicator | Wales | the United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over | 22.2% | 19.4% |
| Share of residents aged under 16 | 16.8% | 17.7% |
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) | 1,492,630 dwellings | 27,429,300 dwellings |
| Dwellings built before 1940 | 39.4% | 34.9% |
| Dwellings built since 2000 | 15.3% | 18.6% |
| Households (Census 2021) | 75,148 households | 111,842 households |
| Households living in a house or bungalow | 87.0% | 77.6% |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette | 12.7% | 22.0% |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) | 66.3% | 62.3% |
| Households renting privately | 17.1% | 20.4% |
| Households in social housing | 16.5% | 17.1% |
| Average house price | £218,855 | £308,859 |
| House price change over 12 months | 2.7% | 1.9% |
| Households without central heating | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| Households heated by mains gas only | 71.8% | 73.9% |
| Households heated by electricity only | 5.3% | 8.6% |
| Households heated by oil only | 7.7% | 3.4% |
| Business sites (local units) | 128,250 sites | 3,232,440 sites |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents | 40.4 per 1,000 | 46.5 per 1,000 |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) | 106,170 businesses | 2,786,975 businesses |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) | £36,288 | £39,498 |
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 | 72.2% | 75.6% |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 | 3.4% | 3.8% |
| Households without a car or van | 19.5% | 23.5% |
Frequently asked questions
How many local authorities are there in Wales?
Wales has 22 local authorities. The most populous is Cardiff, with 381,516 residents.
What is the population of Wales?
Wales has 3,175,181 residents (2025), or 153 people per km².
Which local authority in Wales is growing fastest?
Newport has the fastest growth in Wales over 10 years: +13.2%.